U.S. patent application number 14/343965 was filed with the patent office on 2015-07-09 for method for building structures, particularly passages under operating railways or the like.
The applicant listed for this patent is Mustapha Aboulcaid. Invention is credited to Mustapha Aboulcaid.
Application Number | 20150191877 14/343965 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46875883 |
Filed Date | 2015-07-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150191877 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Aboulcaid; Mustapha |
July 9, 2015 |
METHOD FOR BUILDING STRUCTURES, PARTICULARLY PASSAGES UNDER
OPERATING RAILWAYS OR THE LIKE
Abstract
Method for building structures, particularly passages under
operating railways or the like. The invention relates to a method
for considerably reducing the occurrence and duration of temporary
service interruptions required for building underpasses. After
temporarily interrupting service on the tracks (9) and placing said
tracks perpendicular to the site in the embankment of the passage
that is to be built, the top of the embankment is cleared of soil
in order to allow the deck (4) to be built and sealed (7), then the
work area is backfilled (8) and the tracks are put back in place in
order to allow traffic to resume at the end of the service
interruption period. The side walls (10) of the passage are built
by digging channels down to the foundation, placing reinforcement
and pouring cement therein, then the interior of the passage is
graded in preparation for the eventual permanent bottom slab
(16).
Inventors: |
Aboulcaid; Mustapha;
(Villejuif, FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Aboulcaid; Mustapha |
Villejuif |
|
FR |
|
|
Family ID: |
46875883 |
Appl. No.: |
14/343965 |
Filed: |
August 21, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
August 21, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR2012/000340 |
371 Date: |
June 17, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
404/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01D 21/00 20130101;
E02D 29/045 20130101; E01C 1/04 20130101; E02D 29/055 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E01C 1/04 20060101
E01C001/04; E01D 21/00 20060101 E01D021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 13, 2011 |
FR |
11 02766 |
Claims
1. A method enabling the construction of structures such as
railway, highway, road, pedestrian or other passages, through
earthworks or embankment supporting one or multiple rail, motor,
road, pedestrian or other ways, after having temporarily
interrupted the flow of the traffic on these ways, the method
comprising: removing the ways or a part thereof, at the place
provided in the embankment support of these ways for the future
passage to be made, sufficiently excavating the embankment, to
implement the deck, then its backfilling and re-laying the ways in
order to restore the traffic at the end of the period of temporary
traffic interruption; and making the side walls of the passage from
the sides of the embankment, by the making of galleries sunk to the
level of foundations, the construction of the aforementioned
foundations according to the characteristics of the soils
encountered, the making of side walls in the interior of the
galleries, then excavations in the interior of the passage, with
installation of temporary and/or final retaining structures and
shorings in order to avoid detrimental movement of the frame of the
structure.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a method enabling rapid
reliable and efficient construction of structures such as railway,
highway, roads, pedestrian or other passages through any earthworks
or embankment supporting one or multiple rail, highway, road or
other ways without requiring prolonged stoppage of traffic flowing
on these ways.
[0002] Reference can be made to the following methods in the known
prior art: [0003] Transverse sinking, under the embankment, of two
pairs of half-abutments or recessed side walls, arranged in pairs
opposite each other on both sides of sides delimiting the passage
to be made and forming under the ways, between the latter and the
upper face of the half-abutments, a limited thickness of backfill.
The half-abutments are brought into abutment in pairs,
substantially in the median longitudinal plane of the embankment,
then fitted in their area of mutual junction on both sides of this
median plane. Subsequently, stiffeners are mounted in place under
the tracks over a length thereof slightly greater than that
separating the two pairs of half-abutments, before or after the
sinking thereof. The backfill is removed between the ways and the
abutments joined under the stiffeners. Two base blocks supports are
arranged on the two pairs of half-abutments respectively resting on
these half-abutments. The stiffeners are removed and then the ways
are severed over a length corresponding to the width of the
passage. The backfill remaining between the base block is graded
over a layer necessary for the enclosure of two prefabricated half
decks installed on each side or a single side of the passage, these
half decks being skidded laterally on the base block or on top of
the abutments, in order to rest them jointly by their ends. The
ways are reconstructed on the half-decks and the earthworks of the
passage is completed between the two pairs of half-abutments
beneath the ways. [0004] A method comprising, after having cut the
way over a length corresponding to that of the passage to be made
thereunder, to form a concrete frame bordering this passage by
means of two half U-section elements, arranged opposing on both
sides of the embankment or earthworks supporting the way, gradually
bringing together these half-elements by sinking relative to one
another by driving them with force into the embankment until they
come into contact, removing the cut via the inside of the
half-elements as their penetration into the embankment progresses,
then arranging on the frame a deck for supporting the way and
finally reconstituting the latter along the length of the deck. The
sinking comprises using jacks taking support from a side on at
least one of the half-elements so that each of these half-elements
alternately serve as an anchor point to the other, in order to
provide an appropriate reaction to the thrust of the jacks. The
sinking of the two half-elements is carried out by means of cables
passing through the embankment, each cable being attached at one
end to a half-element and joined at the other to a jack supported
on the other half-element, so as to exert a traction force on the
cable providing the mutual approaching of the two parts of the
frame. It needs to be noted that this method requires the prior
installation of auxiliary decks or temporary stiffeners. [0005] A
method called "Self-shifting", comprising, after having temporarily
sectioned the way at the location provided in the support
embankment of this way for the passage to be made, and having made
a trench by excavation of the land in this location, and after
having previously made or arranged, on at least one side of the
trench, as needed in each of the two sides thereof on both sides of
the embankment and opposing one another, at least a support and
guide raft plate for each hollow concrete frame, the frame being
supported by the raft at the exterior of the trench, to be
installed, parallel to the lateral sides of the hollow frame, at
least one traction cable, each cable being joined at one end to an
anchoring projection provided on the raft supporting the frame and
at the other end engaged with a jack supported by this frame, so
that the traction force exerted on the cable by the jack is
translated, as a result of the reaction on the anchoring
projection, by a thrust effect on the frame which gradually slides
on the raft, then on the floor of the trench in order to directly
provide its penetration therein, in front of the raft. To
facilitate the sliding, a layer of bentonite or another similar
material, adapted to lubricate the mutually facing surfaces, is
continuously injected between the lower face of each frame and the
upper face of the raft guide. [0006] A method according to the same
principle described above, but "improved" by changing the geometry
of the frame of the passage in order to avoid backfilling during
the short period of traffic interruption. In fact, during the
opening of the trench, inclined sides are formed through the
embankment on which the way rests. The frame thus comprises, on
each of its vertical sides, two extensions extending, for the first
in the extension of its upper horizontal side and for the second
obliquely arranged, so as to connect the opposite end of the
extension at the base of the vertical side of the frame, this
second extension having an inclination on the vertical
substantially identical to that of the opposing flank of the
embankment. [0007] A technique called the "Protection vault", which
comprises drilling, under the way of the terrain of the embankment
that it supports, holes of relatively small diameter arranged side
by side and extending traversely under the way, these holes
enabling the installation of hollow metallic tubes into which, if
required, can be injected a cement in order to make, after its
hardening, horizontal piles or the like, as well as solid rigid
profiles that thus reinforce the terrain by strengthening it, under
the railroad track or the road, by forming, over the passage or
tunnel to be made, a kind of rigid base block constituted by the
juxtaposition of these tubes or rigid profiles. The terrain being
thus excavatable before the construction of the walls of the tunnel
without risk of collapse of the way. The base block thus created
can have a plane or curved profile, above the passage or tunnel to
be transversely formed in the embankment. [0008] A method called
"Self-drilling", which comprises arranging in opposition, on both
sides of the embankment supporting the way, two half-abutments or
like structures, in the form of identical hollow frames, closed or
in half-U section, prefabricated of reinforced concrete, whose
footing substantially corresponds to the cross section of the
tunnel to be made, the front sections directed toward each other
from these frames being preferably partially recessed in order to
each form a lip with edges inclined on the vertical, these frames
being progressively moved one towards the other through the
embankment by means of traction cables controlled by the high power
hydraulic jacks, the system being arranged such that the two frames
are simultaneously moved towards each other or alternately, one of
them being immobilized while the second is moved toward the first
or vice versa. To this end, these cables are joined respectively to
one of the frames and to the jack supported by the other frame so
that the forces developed on these cables, by a suitable mounting
of the jacks, causing the penetration of the frames into the
embankment and their relative displacements towards one another.
The area of the embankment in front of the frames progressively
with their mutual or alternative coming together, is continuously
removed, until, in the median plane of the structure, parallel to
the direction of the way on top of the embankment, the two frames
are joined with contact of their opposing lips, these frames then
being fitted between themselves in their joining area in order to
provide continuity of the tunnel thus made under the way. [0009] An
improvement of the method described above, which has two major
disadvantages below: [0010] During a short period of time but which
nevertheless is not zero, it is necessary to limit, or even
interrupt, the traffic while the frames come together, and/or
install under this way auxiliary support decks or even stiffeners
in order to prevent its collapse during the installation of the
frames. [0011] As a result of displacement of the frames, the part
of the soil located above the latter and in front each of them, as
they come closer under the effect of the traction cables, creates
an infinity of reaction forces resulting from the friction, by
producing an intense stirring of the part the soil engaged by the
lips provided at the tip of the two frames and an increase of the
volume of soil in front and above these lips, these forces having a
result that causes a lifting force on the train track or the road,
possibly creating irreparable damage to it, requiring immediate
repair and a more or less prolonged interruption of the traffic,
which is in total opposition with the original purpose of the
method called "Self-drilling".
[0012] The improvement thus comprises combining this method with
that of an protection vault forming, over moving frames, a support
base block such that any traffic disruption be avoided, by
eliminating the reaction forces and the lifting effect of the way
as a result and further enabling that the vault be continuously
supported along the entire length of the tubes or profiles that
constitute it. [0013] Skidding, after opening of the trench in the
embankment, of the previously prefabricated structure using Self
Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMT). The methodology is the
following: [0014] Prefabrication of the structure next to its final
location as a frame culvert (thus without raft) then opening of the
trench in the embankment at the future passage. [0015] Assembly of
lines of propelled trailers and installation of metal supports
[0016] Strengthening of the soil for the passage of trailers in
order to obtain a certain soil load-bearing capacity. [0017]
Rolling of the trailers under the deck of the passage [0018]
Picking up the passage by jacking [0019] Moving of the passage to
its final position [0020] Un-jacking of the structure then
dismantling and removal of temporary equipment and trailers. [0021]
Backfilling of both sides of the abutments as well as above the
deck and reestablishment of the traffic ways. [0022] Skidding,
after opening of the trench in the embankment, of the previously
prefabricated structure by pushing on paths made of reinforced
concrete longitudinal beam fitted with metal rails or Welded
I-girder joined to a wood deck. The structure is elevated in order
to separate it from its prefabrication tarmac, in order to obtain a
sufficient ground clearance for its displacement, using a
sufficient number of jacks positioned outside of the structure
under metal cantilever connected to the side walls or abutments
thereof. The driving system itself is located at the front and/or
rear of the structure and provided by double-acting cylinders that
are hydraulically gripped on the rails. The interface between the
jacks and rail, providing the sliding of the structure, is
constituted by Teflon/stainless steel or greased hardwood, or
roller carriageway. [0023] Skidding, after opening of the trench in
the embankment, of the previously prefabricated structure by
pushing on skid paths following the same principle described above.
However the sliding interface is constituted by load modules in
sufficient numbers and corresponding to the weight of the structure
to be displaced. The carrying tables of the load module are filled
with compressed air so that the structure can be skidded on the
sliding tracks with an almost zero coefficient of friction. The air
supply is provided by compressed air cylinders arranged in vertical
frames positioned on the deck. A possible settlement of the
skidding paths can be compensated by a separate maneuver of the
hydraulic jacks of the load modules in the frame of their maximum
stroke. After having reaching the final position, the skidding
movement is blocked, the carrying tables of the load modules are
vented and the structure is deposited on its final supports in a
manner similar to the raising process. [0024] Hoisting, after
opening of the trench in the embankment, of the previously
prefabricated structure, using mobile cranes having capacity
adapted to the weight and reach of the structure to be displaced.
This method is obviously used very little, because it is quickly
faced with the heavy weight of structures to be displaced,
generally on the order of hundreds, even thousands, of tons.
[0025] After having reviewed the various methods of the prior art,
it should be noted that they all have, without exception, at least
some, even multiple of the disadvantages recapitulated below:
[0026] More than a single temporary interruption of traffic on the
supported ways is often necessary for the construction of the
passage, particularly the preparatory work such as the displacement
of power and telephone networks often bordering railroad tracks or
roads, construction of the foundations auxiliary decks,
construction of stacks for auxiliary decks, laying of auxiliary
decks and their removal at the end of work. [0027] Installation of
auxiliary decks or temporary stiffeners in order to maintain
traffic on the supported ways during the implementation of the
structure. It should be noted that the introduction and removal of
auxiliary decks is made using very specialized railway equipment
having limited availability (and therefore expensive) forty meters
long and equipped with forklifts: the hydrocampe gantry. [0028]
Need to reinforce the soil when skidding of the structure, in order
to avoid even limited settlement, which can have serious
consequences (financial, technical and in terms of delays) on the
progress of the operation. [0029] A lot of earthworks, which
increase with the size of the structure (generally of the order of
thousands of m.sup.3) made of cut and backfill during the short
period of interruption of traffic (only some hours) which requires
the mobilization of very heavy equipment and labor means for a
short period with a large financial impact. [0030] Construction and
installation of temporary structures not part of the final passage,
including their removal/demolition and disposal at the end of the
construction (booms and guide rafts with footing, sprag anchor,
guide side beams and bosses for some, support devices and wings
with local reinforcement gripping points and haulage pathways for
others) [0031] Construction of only hyperstatic structures, which
is not the case for all passages. [0032] After skidding of half
frames, required their key stone installation at the midplane
including shoring and rebar embedding and then injection of grout
cement under the raft (and struts if they exist) in order to fill
the gaps and join the structure with the ground in place. [0033]
The two major drawbacks common to all the methods cited above
remain, of course, the cost and time more or less substantial
depending on whether they aggregate more or less of the drawbacks
mentioned above, especially the quantity and nature of the work to
be performed in a very short time (only some hours) as well as the
magnitude of temporary work, not involved in the construction of
the final bridge, but essential to its implementation.
[0034] An object of the present invention is a method that enables
rectification of these drawbacks, by enabling in particular
reduction of the cost and time of the passage to made.
[0035] To this end, the method provides for making only the deck of
the passage in a first step. In fact, after having interrupted a
part or all of the traffic of the supported ways during a very
short duration (a few hours) and removed the railway tracks or
routes corresponding to this traffic, excavation commence in order
to reach the level corresponding to the sub-slab of the deck
(optionally augmented by some centimeters in order to enable a fine
grading of the subgrade of the deck). Subsequently, the deck will
be poured on site after having installed an adequate formwork side
such as lightweight panels or alternatives as well as rebar
fabricated cages and their recovery on site. The concrete used will
be of the high performance, ultra-high performance or UHPC Fiber
(Ultra-High Performance Concrete Fiber) type able to attain a
sufficiently high resistance in only a few hours, thus enabling the
deck to be optionally sealed, filled in and resumed with traffic
right at the end of the period of disruption of the traffic.
[0036] After drying of the concrete, the deck will receive, if
necessary, a sealing of the independent, semi-independent,
dependent type, or any adequate method and will be backfilled with
good quality materials such as treated gravels or alternatives. The
rail, road or pedestrian traffic will then be restored after
reconstitution of the rail, foot, or path ways.
[0037] Of course, according to the scenario (site configuration,
available rights of way on the project site, duration of the
temporary interruption of traffic) the deck can also be
prefabricated in one or multiple elements, which will subsequently
be skidded, hoisted using mobile cranes or moved by any other
system, then keyed between themselves on site or assembled if
necessary by prestressed cables or an alternative. The deck can
also be made of a mixed steel/concrete structure. A variation
includes making the deck of reinforced or prestressed concrete and
combining two or multiple of these materials and implementation
techniques.
[0038] In a second step, the side walls will be made by digging
underground galleries in the backfill supporting the rail, road, or
pedestrian ways, at the ends of the top slab made of concrete
already set up during the short period of interruption of traffic.
The galleries will have a width equivalent to that of the side
walls. The shoring will be constituted by metallic profiles such as
H-beam or similar fitted by plates made of steel, wood, concrete,
or any other material. All the elements composing this shoring are
hand carryable. A portion of this material will be abandoned in the
field and the other part later recovered during the excavation
under the top slab. The slope of the gallery will be dug manually,
using hand carryable or other tools, in small increments depending
on the soils encountered (on the order of approximately a meter) in
order to provide at all times an inclination following the natural
slope of the terrain in place, the goal being to avoid a possible
landslide of the latter. Therefore, the gallery shoring and
excavation are made simultaneously. The side wall will be extended
in order to attain a sufficiently hard substratum and founded on
interim and/or final foundations (this depends on the nature of the
terrain encountered, whose load-bearing capacity varies from one
place to another, for the same reason as the dimensions and shapes
of foundations).
[0039] The reinforcement of side walls will be made by the
installation of rebar fabricated cages or the assembly in the
interior of the galleries of cut-and-bend reinforcement bars.
[0040] The concreting of the side walls will be made with
self-consolidating concrete (SCC) or vibrated concrete after
closing extremity using a dedicated formwork tool. It can also be
made using high-performance concrete, ultra-high-performance fiber
concrete or a combination of two or multiple of these
materials.
[0041] A drainage system such as geocomposite sheet drains or
another suitable adapted system is interposed between the final
shoring "lost" in the gallery and the terrain in place
[0042] It is evident that the work in the interior of the gallery,
a confined space, will be carried out in optimal conditions of
safety, notably by the installation of sufficient adequate
artificial light as well as a mechanical ventilation enabling
renewal of the air in the interior of the galleries while providing
fresh air.
[0043] In order to provide the continuity of rebars at the side
wall/top slab connections, dual-sleeves will be installed. The
connection will be made as follows: [0044] Providing and
installation of deck rebar fabricated cages fitted with female (or
male) sleeves at the connection with the future side wall. [0045]
After construction of the deck and tunneling of the galleries,
providing of steel bars fitted with male (or female) sleeve and
bonding by simple turning into the female (or male) sleeve already
installed in the deck.
[0046] Note that this system enables meeting all the scenarios:
[0047] Standard connection: when the second bar is free to rotate
[0048] Connection without rotation: when the second bar cannot turn
[0049] Connection with diameter reduction: when the two bars have
different diameters
[0050] However, a variation includes replacing the sleeves with
rebar embedding in the deck or any other suitable system.
[0051] After drying of the concrete of the side walls, the
excavation in the interior of the thus formed frame (in inverted U)
can begin between the side walls and under the top slab. As the
earthworks progresses, a part of the shoring will be removed, the
deck optionally propped up, and the side walls temporarily and/or
permanently stabilized using anchor rods, passive or active nails,
struts and horizontal fendering or any other suitable system. The
combination of two or multiple of these techniques can be
considered. The bottom of the trench will be compacted, reinforced
and concreted in order to make the bottom slab if necessary
(depending on the wishes of the project manager and/or evidences of
the design calculations). These operations are intended to avoid
any detrimental movement of the frame of the structure.
[0052] This method thus provides a solution to various drawbacks of
conventional methods, particularly by eliminating: [0053] All
temporary interruptions of traffic on the supported ways, except
that necessary for the implementation of the deck only (and not the
entire bridge) which is of course considerable lower than that
relating to the methods previously described. [0054] The
installation of the auxiliary decks or temporary stiffeners in
order to maintain the traffic on the supported ways during the
implementation of the structure, since they will not be absolutely
necessary. [0055] The reinforcement of the subgrade of the
structure as in the skidding solutions, since the structure is made
directly at its final position, avoiding at the same time any
inconvenience as a result of possible settlements. [0056] The
construction and installation of temporary structures whose utility
is dictated only by the procedure used (Self-shifting, skidding on
rolling path, . . . ). In fact, all these methods are based on a
preliminary prefabrication of the structure outside its final
location then its subsequent movement. This is not the case of the
method of this invention. [0057] The key stone installation of the
half frames as well as the injection of cement grout under the raft
(and struts if they exist) as in the case of Self-shifting or
Self-drilling.
[0058] And by considerably reducing: [0059] The excavation and
backfilling during the short period of interruption of traffic on
the ways supported by the future passage, passing from a few
thousand m.sup.3 to only a few hundred m.sup.3, reducing at the
same time the necessary manpower and material means. In fact, only
the deck will be implemented during this critical period of
temporary interruption of traffic of only some hours, unlike
conventional methods, which provide for the installation of the
entire structure, thus leaving very little margin in case of
unforeseen events such as water gushers for example, accidental
shutdown of earthworks and skidding gear or any other incident
(hence the doubling of all these means as well as the provision of
other means overcoming unexpected events even if this uncertainty
is minimal).
[0060] Another advantage of the method of this invention includes
making isostatic or hyperstatic structures or both at the same
time, by making fixed and/or mobile Bearings.
[0061] The accompanying drawings represent in very broad outline,
in transverse and longitudinal sections, the method of making a
passage according to the invention.
[0062] FIGS. 1-a and 1-b show: The removal of ways, excavating at
the structure to the level of the sub-slab of the top slab of the
passage, then construction of the latter.
[0063] FIGS. 2-a and 2-b show: The backfill above the deck,
re-laying of the ways with restoration of the traffic and tunneling
of the foundation galleries by successive passes.
[0064] FIGS. 3-a and 3-b show: The continuation of tunneling work
of the galleries up to the final pass as well as the footings.
[0065] FIGS. 4-a and 4-b show: The reinforcement of the side walls
and footings.
[0066] FIGS. 5-a and 5-b show: The concreting of the side walls and
footings.
[0067] FIGS. 6-a and 6-b show: The excavation in the interior of
the passage to the level of the raft.
[0068] FIGS. 7-a and 7-b show: The construction of the raft and the
end of construction of the passage.
[0069] FIG. 8 shows: A transverse section of the completed
underpass.
[0070] With reference to the accompanying drawings, the method
provides, after interruption of the train traffic for some hours
(the time of a weekend, for example) and removal of rail lines (3)
at the future passage (shown in dashed lines by the location (5) of
the future side walls and the location (6) of the future raft) to
be made in the embankment (1) supporting these ways, effecting a
small excavation (2) in the embankment, having as trench base the
underside of the future deck (4) to be made in accordance with FIG.
1.
[0071] After rapid drying of the concrete of the deck, it will
receive an adapted sealing complex (7) and will be backfilled with
suitable material (8). Thus rails (9) can be put back above the
deck and ballasted before the restoration of railway traffic at the
end of the interruption period.
[0072] Once the deck is buried and the traffic resumed, the
construction works of the side walls (10) can begin. In fact, they
will be carried out by tunneling galleries having a width equal to
that of the final side walls, by successive passes, manually cased,
as the earthworks is effected using manually carried tools. The
tunneling of the galleries will continue to the level of the
superficial footings (11) of the side walls. These can be temporary
or permanent (their dimensions and shapes depend on the terrain
encountered on site and will be wide enough to enable labor workers
in better security conditions). At the end of the earthworks, the
rebars (12) will be implemented and formwork will completely shut
the extremity of the galleries on their full height.
[0073] The concreting of the side walls can then begin by filling
the galleries using self-compacting concrete (13).
[0074] After hardening of the side walls, excavation under the top
slab (14) will be carried out in the interior of the passage using
appropriate gear while installing struts and bridgings (15)
mid-height of the side walls.
[0075] Once the bottom of the trench is reached, it will be
compacted, cased on the outside edges, reinforced then concreted in
order to make the raft (16) of the passage.
[0076] The wing and/or return walls (17) can then be constructed,
the equipment set up in a conventional manner and the side walls
arranged (these operations are not part of the method since they
are independent of the temporary interruption of the traffic: The
method relates to the construction of the structure of the passage:
Supports, deck, foundations and optional raft).
[0077] It is evident that the invention, of course, is not limited
to the implementation example more particularly described above
with reference to the accompanying drawings, but other variants,
within the scope of the following claims, are capable of
application according to the same global principle.
[0078] The method according to the invention enables the
construction of structures such as railway, highway, road,
pedestrian or other passages through any earthworks or embankment
supporting one or multiple railways, highways or roads without
requiring prolonged stoppage of the traffic flowing on these
ways.
* * * * *